The Great Mana Tree Ben
by Jak0TheShadows
Summary: The SPOILER has been named and Lloyd is now its guardian. Years pass and Lloyd doesn't age, the SPOILER has made him immortal. Many years pass and all of Lloyds friends pass away leaving him alone. All except one. LloydxRaine
1. Chapter of Oneness

Greetings all! It's certainly been a long time since I've put a story up here... But I was feeling INSPIREDish so I began this ToS fic on the grounds that, there are not enough RainexLloyd fics! In this chapter (or rather, chaplet) I merely introduce the current setting, later chapters will deal with our lovely protagonists Lloyd and Raine directly. For now, enjoy my dark dark backstory!

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Excerpt from the writings of Chronicler Athos: (Circa 331 FS) 

In order to catalouge exactly what happened following the naming of the Great Tree of Mana I will have to go in to detail about what each character did following A-Day, as the people of Sylvarant are referring to it. A-Day meaning "Angel Day", Great Martel the people of Sylvarant are so unimaginative! Regardless… I should begin.

The first I need to speak of is Sheena, the Card-wielding woman of Death. Following A-Day Sheena returned to her home town of… BAH! Some obscure town that I really don't care enough to remember the name of. She returned to the aforementioned town and lived happily ever after. At least until the Chief of her village died, then she REALLY lived happily ever after as Sheena was unanimously voted in as Chieftess and quickly began pushing for the village to be more involved with the world.

Zelos returned to his home for a time but soon traveled in search of his sister, Seles. He found her exactly where he left her, on a lonely island in a lonely tower. Scholars have argued over precisely why Zelos went to his sister but most have agreed that it was to apologize for something. Ironically, Zelos was murdered in that very tower during his visit. The cause of death was strangulation. Many scholars believe it was Zelos sister, the very one he went to apologize to, that murdered him, however some argue that with her small size there was little chance of her overcoming such a powerful swordsman and blame a renegade Desian.

Following A-Day both Regal and Presea disappeared. Their whereabouts are unknown. Regal and Presea are said to have married however the exact details are sketchy, at best, and so we can only speculate.

Genis went to a now unknown college and graduated with top honors. He then became an instant success when he fashioned one of the most powerful energy spells ever created. His success was short lived however as soon someone used EESS (Eternal Energy Supply Source), as Genis called it, as the component for a large and incredibly powerful bomb. The terrorists were quickly caught however the damage had been done and Genis' career was shot. He fell back on drinking and eventually died of alcoholism at the age of 110.

Collette went back to Iselia where she lived a happy life of monotony. She grew up, got married, had kids, grew old, watched her kids have kids, and died. She is said to have lived a happy life though.

Finally we come to the only two remaining saviors. Raine and Lloyd. Raine is of course an elf and therefore naturally still alive. Still quite young and sexy too might I add! Lloyd though… is an interesting case. In normal human terms Lloyd should have died three hundred years ago however, since he was chosen as the guardian of the Mana Tree (which he named Ben), Lloyd discovered that instead of growing old as all of his human friends were he had completely stopped aging. Eventually he figured out that he was, in fact, immortal.

This discovery made him quite… how do you Sylvarantians refer to it as? Depressed. Lloyd had no desire to live forever and even less to watch all of his friends die as he lived on.

END EXCERPT

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For all you Zelos, Collette, Sheena, Genis, Presea, and/or Regal fans out there... I'm sorry. None of them will be appearing in this fic as they are all completely and unequivicably, dead. 

Ta ta my lovely readers! Please Read and Review!


	2. Close encounters of the Raine kind

Hello all (meaning my two readers)! I welcome you back and hope that you don't eat me for the long wait. No seriously... I've known readers to do that... eat authors I mean... I'm serious.

Anyway! I do not own Tales of Symphonia nor do I own the characters Lloyd and Raine or any of the places they visit.

I did name the tree though!

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Excerpt from the writings of Chronicler Athos: (Circa 331 FS) 

Raine had been wandering, hidden from history's view, for an unknown amount of time (at least 200 years). But during the summer of 331 FS (Following Salvation) she reentered life and is said to have had a meeting with Lloyd. Exactly what they spoke of at this meeting is unknown, however, speculations abound.

END EXCERPT

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Lloyd sat beneath the cool, dark shadow cast by Ben. It was hot out, hotter than usual. Even for summer. Despite this though Lloyd himself was not hot. He sat there, under Ben's large shadow, dressed in the same red coat he had worn long, long ago. By normal rights, he should be hot. However the shadow cast by Ben was unnaturally cool, almost as if Lloyd were sitting under it in late fall. 

And I know you all care about this very much so I'll just move on…

At the same time that Lloyd was basking in giant shadows, Raine was tripping her way through a little traveled mountain pass. Like Lloyd, she wore the same bright orange coat she had worn during their adventure together so very long ago. She cursed, quietly, at a passing fox when it scared her and she stumbled somewhat.

His arms stretched high above his head and the faint 'pop' from his fingers indicated that his stretch had been successful.

She tripped again, this time not catching herself, and hit the ground. She cursed at both herself and the rock that tripped her before dusting herself off and getting back up.

Lloyd looked up when he heard a curse and was surprised when he saw a very old, familiar face standing up and dusting herself off. "Raine? Raine!" Lloyd jumped to his feet and raced over to where the half elf was and pulled her into a bear hug. Needless to say, Raine was surprised. Even though the two had traveled together for a good… bit of time (writer's note: I am FAR too lazy to find out exactly how long… if you want to know, play it again! Mya!) they had never been all that close.

Mind you… being isolated under a giant tree for years… you'll hug anybody. "Raine, oh Martel it's good to see you!"

"L-Lloyd! Uh hello. I see you're doing well?"

"As good as can be expected! I'm immortal, but all that really entails is that I get to live under this tree forever and watch everyone I care about die. Not only that, this tree I happen to be stuck under is in the middle of freaking nowhere so I can't talk to ANYone. Do you know that I've taken to talking to Ben? He's a good listener, really he is-"and Lloyd just rambled on. The pair walked over till they were right next to the trunk of Ben and took seats across from each other. Raine, prepared as always, brought a picnic basket and took out two lunchmeat sandwiches. She handed one to Lloyd and he took it graciously (he hadn't eaten for… ever it seemed like).

Then he looked at it questioningly, "Did you make this?"

"Of course I did Lloyd! Who do you think would have?"

He took a longer look at it and then shrugged, "I suppose even you can screw up lunchmeat," and took a bite. "Hey! It's not bad!"

Raine smiled, "I've been practicing for a while now. I think I'm getting pretty good myself."

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Excerpt from the writings of the writings of Chronicler Athos: (Circa 331 FS) 

Following the meeting Raine returned to the town of Iselia for the first time in over a century. She was welcomed as a hero and eventually set up a clinic in the town. It became famous worldwide and was known as the best. From all over the world people came for cures to their ailments and she did so with no pay. Any payment she received was in food donations and she only kept enough of that to feed herself, the rest she donated right back to the most needy.

Raine became loved the world over.

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YAY CHAPTER TWO! 

I hope you liked it all (again... two people, LOVE YOU BOTH!).

RoyalFanatic: I'll tell you right now that the historian writing this all down in... Completely unimportant. That's right. He has nothing do with the story AT ALL. I just wanted to make this story to flip back and forth between a 'historic' viewpoint and the basic third person (seen when Lloyd and Raine interact). I'll have to apologize as well as all the chapters will be shortish. Some may get longer, and I'll try to do so, but it just won't happen all the time. Sorry!

Eternum123: It's not really that I'm not a FAN of all the other characters... I just REALLY like LloydRaine. Oh and you don't have to worry about me being intimidated by bad reviews... if anything those would encourage me to write even more just to piss those people off! MWA HA HA!


	3. Two for the price of one

Man this has to be the fastest I have ever gotten a chapter out.

I do not own ToS or any of it's characters.

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Excerpt from the writings of Chronicler Athos: (Circa 336 FS)

It was five full years before Raine made a return visit to Lloyd and Ben. The details are again very sketchy.

END EXCERPT

"Lloyd how are you?"

"I'm fine... same old."

"Yeah," Raine looked down, "You live a pretty shi- uh… sheltered life out here."

"No you were right the first time. It's shitty. I hate the monotony of my life now its… boring."

Raine laughed and then caught herself, "Heh, you still sound like yourself at least. Still get bored easily."

"Hey you try living under a giant tree by yourself for a few hundred years!"

"I'd rather not thank you," she laughed again into her hands. Lloyd couldn't help but notice it was… cute. "I'll bring you a stack of books the next time I come. With the speed you read I'm sure I could come back in ten years and you'd only be halfway through! Hee hee!"

"No you should sta- I mean… Uh… You, don't have to take that long to visit you know? You could come more often. Ben likes the company."

Raine smiled, "I'm sure he does."

Excerpt from the writings of Chronicler Athos: (Circa 336 FS)

Raine returned from this visit slightly different than when she left. What it was no one was certain but anyone who'd met her before then could see it. It was like she was constantly distracted by something.

She was just as friendly as ever and just as giving to the people of Sylvarant but she was just different. Some claimed it was depression, others said maybe it was a midlife crisis (although no one actually knew just how long Raine should live actually as the elves, stuck up pricks, still won't talk to anyone even now).

END EXCERPT

Excerpt from the writings of Chronicler Athos: (Circa 340 FS)

Four years passed before Raine went back to see Lloyd. In that time, as I mentioned, she'd changed, she'd become distracted and far from everyone.

END EXCERPT

A very tired and very hungry Raine stumbled near to the shade of the Great Mana tree only to find Lloyd, her reason for coming, fast asleep. For several minutes she just stood there and stared at him but then it started to rain and she hurried under the magnificent canopy. She took a seat next to the sleeping guardian of the tree and smiled at him. "Despite having lost everyone who he really matters to him, his father, his adoptive father (who I COMPLETELY forgot to mention in the intro um… yeah… he died or something), his best friend, and even the girl he once loved (Collette or Sheena? Oooooo…) Lloyd still has that air of innocence about him. Purity. I envy your ability to always see the best in people Lloyd…"

The sleeping figure stirred and muttered softly, "I didn't loose everyone I care about…"

"What?" asked Raine but Lloyd had already fallen back to sleep.

Excerpt from the writings of Chronicler Athos: (Circa 340 FS)

Raine returned from this trip even more distracted than before. Even people who had never met her before where now questioning others about her distant personality. Still we, the people, are left with no answers however.

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I love you guys! Four reviews! YAY! My readership doubled in one chapter that means... if I write a hundred chapters... (this will work perfectly... I know it will.) 

Foamy the Squirrel: Well I certainly don't want to taste squirrelly wrath so here you go! Oh and no I was not drunk... I just happen to like the name Ben for trees. Is that so wrong?

RoyalFanatic: Oh yeah? Well I haven't updated my Psychonauts fic in forever! HUZZAH FOR LAZINESS!

Eternum123: I uh... can't think of anything to respond with that won't be redundant so... Meow.

BlueIrish: Ever so slowly my chapters are growing longer. Ever so slowly. Glad you liked it!


	4. Stuck in the Shade

Holy Moses! I updated this story! Even I thought this was going to be on infinite hiatus...

I don't own ToS... I wish I did... but I don't.

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Excerpt from the writings of Chronicler Athos: (Circa 342 FS)

Two years before she returned to Ben this time… Her visits were getting closer together…

END EXCERPT

"Lloyd…" the orange dressed woman said softly as she distractedly stirred her soup (Chicken noodle! Mmmm…).

"Mm?" Lloyd's head looked up and over at Raine with noodles hanging out of his mouth. He quickly sucked them into his maw before he looked silly.

"Lloyd h… how do you do it? How do you stay so… full of life? It's like three centuries haven't even passed! You're exactly the same you're… Lloyd." The Tree Guardian just stared at Raine, quite unsure of how to respond. Raine continued, "Lloyd… do you have to stay here? At this tree? Can't you leave? Can't you just leave and live your own life?"

"I can't," Lloyd put his empty soup bowl on the ground and stood up, "I have to protect the tree. I have to protect Ben, Raine! I can't just leave!"

"Yes you can! The tree is hundreds of shocking expletive high! It's not like anyone could harm it!" She sighed, "Besides… don't you have like a mental link with "Ben"? Won't he be able to tell you if he's being hurt and you can come help him if such is the case? You don't need to stay here Lloyd!"

"YES I DO!" Lloyd was screaming now and tears were forming in the corners of his eyes, "I can't… I can't leave Raine…"

"Why?"

"I… can't."

And then, horrified, Raine understood… Ben was keeping Lloyd here. Lloyd physically couldn't leave the tree. "Why would it do that to you?" Raine whispered, almost afraid the tree would hear her.

Lloyd smiled sadly, "Because, I'm the guardian."

Raine pulled her old student into her arms in a human gesture he hadn't felt in hundreds of years. And then the tears came out like a faucet.

Excerpt from the writings of Chronicler Athos: (Circa 342)

Raine returned to public life for only a brief four weeks while she seemed to be getting supplies together. Then, at the end of four weeks, she disappeared again.

END EXCERPT

"Raine? What are you doing back so soon? Don't you have a lot of doctoring to do and stuff?" Lloyd sat underneath Ben, very perplexed.

"Lloyd… if you can't leave then… I don't want you to be alone…" Raine dropped her bag full of clothes and her other bag full of books and looked up at Lloyd with a smile, "Would you mind terribly if I crashed at your place for a while?"

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Alright by readers, I am SOOOOOOO freaking sorry about the wait! Please please please! You have to forgive me! I got distracted and then school started raping me and then midterms... well ironically I didn't update until midterms... Weird aren't I? 

Again, I'm very sorry!

Eternum123- I honestly have no idea how long this fic's span is going to be. I just sort of think "Well Jak, how many years this time? Ten? Yeah that sounds good!"

BlueIrish- Raine was distant because she was worried about Lloyd, which this chapter sort of touches on.

Sunfrost- I'd give you a cookie for reviewing but alas, my virtual baking skills are not quite there yet... One more level and I can make brownies though!

RoyalFanatic- Yay! Glad you liked the last chapter. Hope you like this one too!

Foamy the Squirrel- Yay cookies! Ew... they're a couple months old... but that's my fault sorry! I promise (maybe) to get the next chapter out faster than I did this one.

Sunnigen- Yeah... I could make the chapters longer but did you see how long it took me to do this chapter? And this one's short! If I wrote long chapters I'd never update!

Caladchbolg- I most certainly do not want Kirby to destroy me and so here is an (admittedly long in coming) update.

That's all for this chapter, the next one should be out sometime this month. Please read and review!


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